I personally don't care much about symbolism so I don't get offended if someone doesn't pay respect to an object in some prescribed way. I do realize others care more about symbolism thus I would not suggest a protest by kneeling during the anthem for practical reasons though. Beyond that I just don't care.
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In nature, the concept of symbolism is what separates intelligent creatures from primitive creatures.
It is how civilization works.
If people disregard common symbols, then society will degenerate to the level of slugs and snails.
Example:
You have a beautifully manicured front yard.
You post a sign that says "KEEP OFF THE GRASS" or "NO TRESPASSING"
A dog, cat, slug, snail, bird or insect doesn't care about the symbolic warning sign.
But most people would recognize the sign as a symbol to avoid the area.
If someone ignores the sign, you call the police.
The police would come showing their symbolic badge which civilized people would pay respect to.
So you see how important it is for civilized people to pay respect to symbols?